2013-04-30
Source: http://news.hkheadline.com/dailynews/headline_news_detail_columnist.asp?id=235957§ion_name=wtt&kw=126
I was recently invited to a large cocktail reception attended by hundreds of people. Many people recognized me from my TV show and shook my hand. Whenever I go to a cocktail reception I have to shake hands with people I know and also with people who are introduced to me. A cocktail reception is a party, usually held in the early evening, where alcoholic drinks and small snacks （food） called hors d'oeuvres （a word that is French in origin） are served. A simpler and easier to pronounce word for hors d'oeuvres is finger foods. This is because hors d'oeuvres are small and mostly eaten with fingers or toothpicks.
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here are usually no tables and chairs at cocktail receptions. Guests stand and hold their drinks while they chat and eat finger foods that are put on tables or brought to them on trays by waiters. At the cocktail reception I recently attended I saw many people shake hands and then use their fingers to eat hors d'oeuvres. It made me think of the latest bird flu outbreak in mainland China. Luckily, the bird flu cannot yet spread from human to human. But researchers have found that a human hand has about 500 germs. I don't think shaking hands is a good custom at all！ I always have a small bottle of hand sanitizer when I go to cocktail parties so I can unobtrusively （not in a noticeable way） clean my hands after shaking hands. This makes it safe for me to eat finger foods.
I think we should all stop shaking hands. The Japanese custom of bowing is far more hygienic. The Indian custom of putting your own palms together without touching the other person's hand is also more hygienic. It is similar to the Chinese custom of putting your hands together to greet other people without touching their hands. The government has many TV and radio ads asking people to wash their hands frequently. I think there should also be ads asking people not to shake hands.
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我最近獲邀出席一個大型酒會（cocktail reception），數以百計的賓客雲集。許多人因為我的電視節目而認得我，紛紛和我握手。我每次出席酒會（cocktail reception）我都要與認識的和新相識的人握手。Cocktail reception通常都是於黃昏舉行的派對，備以酒水及稱為hors d'oeuvres（此字源於法語）的小吃（snacks）。比hors d'oeuvres要簡單和易發音的詞語是finger foods，因為這些餐前小食（hors d'oeuvres）都很小巧，大多用手指抓食或以牙籤來吃。
酒會（cocktail receptions）通常都沒有桌椅。賓客會邊提着飲料邊站着閒談，小食（finger foods）則置放於枱上或由侍應以盤子端來。在這次酒會（cocktail reception）中我見到許多人握過手後便用手指吃小食（hors d'oeuvres），這令我想起內地爆發的禽流感。可幸的是，那禽流感還未能人傳人，但研究員已經發現人手掌帶有五百病菌。我並不認為握手是個好習俗！我出席酒會時我總會帶備一小支手部消毒劑，好讓我在握手之後能悄悄地（unobtrusively）清潔雙手。這樣我就能安心吃小食（finger foods）了。
我認為我們應該廢除握手。日式習俗的鞠躬就衞生得多了。印度習俗是雙手合十，不用觸碰到其他人的手也很衞生，有點類似中國的抱拳，打招呼也不用碰到他人的手啊。政府有許多電視和電台廣告勸告人要勤於洗手，我認為應該有廣告叫人別再握手才是。mickchug@gmail.com
Michael Chugani褚簡寧 中譯：七刻
中譯:七刻
Michael Chugani 褚簡寧